1) Discuss with your young people that local libraries are struggling to stay open due to lack of funding, and lots of communities are creating their own Little Free Libraries in their neighbourhoods, where people can share books for free.

2) To find advice about starting your own Little Free Library go to littlefreelibrary.org/start. There are now more than 70,000 around the world! You can ask other ‘stewards’ for help and add your own library to the map, so that other people can find it.

4) Help the young people to decorate the library and include the name of your Group/section on it, so that people know who built it.

5) Find a good place to put your library outside the meeting place, so that it is on view to passers-by. It should be just within the grounds, not on public property, unless you have checked it’s OK with your local council.

6) Ask the young people to check with their parents or carers if they have any spare books at home that they can donate, for both young people and adults.

Take it further

Some young people in the world don’t have access to all the exciting books we do, and some don’t even have the opportunity to go to school. Find out about young people your age in another country and their access to education and books.

European Scouts set up a charity called Bookbridge to help young people in countries around the world gain access to education. To find out more and get involved, go to bookbridge.org/uk

This activity also links to UN Global Goal #4 – Quality Education. Learn more about them at globalgoals.org